The Cowboy Boot Book

From bikers to high-fashion models to buckaroos on the wide open range, people all over the world are wearing cowboy boots and loving them. Ever since the 1920s, when Tom Mix first surfaced as a cowboy hero, boots have gone through surges of popularity. Up till now, the highest point was about 1955, when Roy Rogers, Gene Autry and western music were embraced as icons of the American dream. Boots have always been worn by working cowboys, but now they are a fashion statement. With the wide selection of leathers (cowhide, kangaroo, snake--even armadillo, bullfrog and chicken) and colors available, a renissance of artful boot making has taken place. You can pick your boots righ off the shelf, choosing from the classic tall tops by boot factories such as Justin, Nocona, Tony Lama and Lucchese, or from the nostalgic peewees--colorful reproductions of 1930s and 1940s odels. "But if you really need to let the world know exactly who you are, or if you need to express yourself or take a stand with what you stand in," author Tyler Beard advises, "go to a custom bootmaker. It cost about the same as a few visits toa good therapist but it's a lot more fun."In this book, Beard retells a lively history of the bootmaking industry and introduces today's best bootmakers and their most artistic styles. The artful photography of Jim Arndt, combined with Beard's easy entertaining style makes The Cowboy Boot Book a classic in western Americana.